We provide two different Science pathways using these reformed qualifications: students are assigned to one of these on the basis of their academic attainment; ability in practical work; attitude to learning; attendance and ability to cope with formal examinations. They are then grouped by ability within a pathway.

During Year 10 teaching, the overall timeline of topics taught is broadly speaking the same for all students, and you can see this at the bottom of this page, including when internal assessments will take place. Throughout the year we will publish more information as it becomes available.

GCSE Double Science pathway

This pathway is followed by the majority of our students, and results in students earning a certificate worth two GCSE grades.  AQA GCSE Combined:Trilogy will be taught throughout Years 10 and 11. The GCSE is examined through six external exams, all taken at the end of Year 11. Each exam contributes to 16.7% of the final grade. There is no controlled assessment. Practical skills are developed through a series of 'required practicals', which all students must complete over the duration of the course, and which are tested along with theoretical science content in the six exams.

For more information on AQA GCSE Combined: Trilogy, visit the AQA website by clicking here.

GCSE Triple Science pathway

This pathway is followed by a minority of our students, and results in students earning 3 GCSE certificates: AQA GCSE Biology, AQA GCSE Chemistry and AQA GCSE Physics.  All 3 GCSEs will be taught throughout Years 10 and 11.  This pathway is referred to as an ‘accelerated route’, as content for 3 GCSEs is compressed in the same amount of classroom time that Double Pathway students receive in order to study 2 GCSEs.

The top 64 Science students based on former results are by default selected for this pathway.  Students are able to ‘opt out’ if they feel they will not be able to commit the extra time and effort required for the Triple Pathway: in such a scenario those students in positions 65 and below are approached.

Each of the three GCSEs in this pathway are examined through two external exams, each of which contributes to 50% of the final grade for the related GCSE . All exams are taken at the end of Year 11, meaning a total of six exams for students following this science pathway. In common with the double pathway, there is no controlled assessment. Practical skills are developed through a series of 'required practicals', which all students must complete over the duration of the course, and which are tested along with theoretical science content in the six exams.

For more information on AQA GCSE Biology, visit the AQA website by clicking here.

For more information on AQA GCSE Chemistry, visit the AQA website by clicking here.

For more information on AQA GCSE Physics, visit the AQA website by clicking here.

How will the pathway I follow affect my future choices?

The Notre Dame Sixth Form entrance requirement for our A-level science courses has yet to be defined for students with reformed GCSEs in Science. However, we can say at this stage that students from either pathway would be eligible to apply.

Year 10 Science timeline: